Viola plant named ‘Sunviotama’

ABSTRACT

A new and distinct cultivar of  Viola  plant named ‘Sunviotama’, characterized by its compact, mounding and trailing plant habit; freely branching habit; freely flowering habit; and white and yellow-colored flowers.

Botanical designation: Viola cornuta.

Cultivar denomination: ‘Sunviotama’.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates to a new and distinct cultivar of Viola,botanically known as Viola cornuta and hereinafter referred to by thename ‘Sunviotama’.

The new Viola is a product of a planned breeding program conducted bythe Inventor in Higashiomi, Shiga, Japan. The objective of the breedingprogram was to create new compact Viola cultivars with attractive flowercoloration.

The new Viola originated from a cross-pollination made by the Inventorin April, 2002, in Higashiomi, Shiga, Japan, of a proprietary selectionof Viola cornuta identified as code number OV-54-1, not patented, as thefemale, or seed, parent with a proprietary selection of Viola cornutaidentified as code number 02V-40-3, not patented, as the male, orpollen, parent. The new Viola was discovered and selected by theInventor as a single flowering plant within the progeny of the statedcross-pollination in a controlled greenhouse environment in Higashiomi,Shiga, Japan.

Asexual reproduction of the new Viola by vegetative cuttings in acontrolled greenhouse environment in Higashiomi, Shiga, Japan sinceApril, 2004, has shown that the unique features of this new Viola arestable and reproduced true to type in successive generations.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The cultivar Sunviotama has not been observed under all possibleenvironmental conditions. The phenotype may vary somewhat withvariations in environment and cultural practices such as temperature andlight intensity without, however, any variance in genotype.

The following traits have been repeatedly observed and are determined tobe the unique characteristics of ‘Sunviotama’. These characteristics incombination distinguish ‘Sunviotama’ as a new and distinct cultivar ofViola:

-   -   1. Compact, mounding and trailing plant habit.    -   2. Freely branching habit.    -   3. Freely flowering habit.    -   4. Long flowering period.    -   5. White and yellow-colored flowers

Compared to plants of the female parent selection, plants of the newViola differ primarily in flower color as plants of the female parentselection have white-colored flowers.

Compared to plants of the male parent selection, plants of the new Violadiffer primarily in flower color as plants of the male parent selectionhave yellow-colored flowers. In addition, plants of the new Viola havelarger flowers than plants of the male parent selection.

Plants of the new Viola can also be compared to plants of the Violacornuta ‘Sunvioki’, disclosed in U.S. Plant Pat. No. 16,138. Inside-by-side comparisons conducted in Higashiomi, Shiga, Japan, plantsof the new Viola and ‘Sunvioki’ differed in the followingcharacteristics:

-   -   1. Plants of the new Viola were narrower than plants of        ‘Sunvioki’.    -   2. Plants of the new Viola had shorter leaves than plants of        ‘Sunvioki’.    -   3. Plants of the new Viola had larger flowers than plants of        ‘Sunvioki’.    -   4. Plants of the new Viola and ‘Sunvioki’ differed in flower        color.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE PHOTOGRAPHS

The accompanying colored photographs illustrate the overall appearanceof the new Viola showing the colors as true as it is reasonably possibleto obtain in colored reproductions of this type. Colors in thephotographs may differ slightly from the color values cited in thedetailed botanical description which accurately describe the colors ofthe new Viola.

The photograph at the top of the sheet comprises a side perspective viewof a typical flowering plant of ‘Sunviotama’ grown in a container.

The photograph at the bottom of the sheet is a close-up view of typicalflowers of ‘Sunviotama’.

DETAILED BOTANICAL DESCRIPTION

The aforementioned photographs and following observations, measurementsand values describe plants grown in Higashiomi, Shiga, Japan, undercommercial practice during the autumn in an outdoor nursery with daytemperatures averaging 10° C. and night temperatures averaging 5° C.Plants had been growing for four months when the photographs anddescription were taken. In the following description, color referencesare made to The Royal Horticultural Society Colour Chart, 2001 Edition,except where general terms of ordinary dictionary significance are used.

-   Botanical classification: Viola cornuta cultivar Sunviotama.-   Parentage:    -   -   Female, or seed, parent.—Proprietary selection of Viola            cornuta identified as code number 0V-54-1, not patented.        -   Male, or pollen, parent.—Proprietary selection of Viola            cornuta identified as code number 02V-40-3, not patented.-   Propagation:    -   -   Type.—By vegetative cuttings.        -   Time to initiate roots.—About two weeks at 20° C. to 25° C.        -   Time to produce a rooted young plant roots.—About four weeks            at 20° C. to 25° C.        -   Root description.—Fine, fibrous and fleshy; light brown in            color.        -   Rooting habit.—Freely branching.-   Plant description:    -   -   Plant form/habit.—Compact, mounding and trailing plant            habit; vigorous growth habit. Freely branching habit; about            18 lateral branches developing per plant; pinching enhances            branching.        -   Plant height.—About 10.9 cm.        -   Plant width (spread).—About 32.9 cm.        -   Lateral branches.—Length: About 16.4 cm. Diameter: About            2.2 mm. Internode length: About 1.2 cm. Strength: Strong.            Texture: Smooth, glabrous. Color: Close to 138A.-   Foliage description:    -   -   Arrangement.—Alternate, simple.        -   Length.—About 2.2 cm.        -   Width.—About 1.5 cm.        -   Shape.—Ovate.        -   Apex.—Obtuse.        -   Base.—Truncate.        -   Margin.—Crenate.        -   Texture, upper surface.—Pubescent.        -   Texture, lower surface.—Smooth, glabrous.        -   Venation pattern.—Pinnate, reticulate.        -   Color.—Developing and fully expanded leaves, upper surface:            Close to 137B; venation, close to 144B. Developing and fully            expanded leaves, lower surface: Close to 147B; venation,            close to 144B.        -   Petiole.—Length: About 1.3 cm. Diameter: About 1 mm.            Texture, upper and lower surfaces: Pubescent. Color, upper            and lower surfaces: Close to 144B.        -   Stipule.—Length: About 2 cm. Diameter: About 0.8 cm. Shape:            Pinnately-parted. Apex: Obtuse. Base: Obtuse. Texture, upper            and lower surfaces: Smooth, glabrous. Color, upper surface:            Close to 137B. Color, lower surface: Close to 147B.-   Flower description:    -   -   Flower type/habit.—Single flowers borne in upper leaf axils;            flowers face obliquely upright. Freely flowering habit with            about twelve flowers per plant.        -   Fragrance.—Slightly scented; pleasant.        -   Natural flowering season.—Continuously flowering from early            November to June in Japan. Flowers not persistent.        -   Postproduction longevity.—Flowers last about five to seven            days on the plant.        -   Flower buds.—Height: About 1.9 cm. Diameter: About 8 mm.            Shape: Lenticular. Color: Close to 150D.        -   Flower diameter.—About 4.3 cm by 3.2 cm.        -   Flower depth.—About 2.2 cm.        -   Eye diameter.—About 4.1 mm.        -   Petals.—Quantity per flower: Five in a single whorl; two            upper petals, two lateral petals and one lower petal,            spurred. Upper petals: Length: About 2.1 cm. Diameter: About            1.8 cm. Shape: Obovate with rounded apex and attenuate base;            margin, entire and slightly undulate. Texture, upper and            lower surfaces: Smooth, glabrous; velvety. Color: Developing            and fully expanded petals, upper surface: Close to 155C.            Developing and fully expanded petals, lower surface: Close            to 155C. Lateral petals: Length: About 1.7 cm. Diameter:            About 1.6 cm. Shape: Obovate with rounded apex and attenuate            base; margin, entire and slightly undulate. Texture, upper            and lower surfaces: Smooth, glabrous; velvety. Color:            Developing and fully expanded petals, upper surface: Close            to 155C. Developing and fully expanded petals, lower            surface: Close to 155C. Lower petal: Length: About 1.9 cm.            Diameter: About 2.4 cm. Shape: Reniform with cordate apex            and attenuate base; margin, entire and slightly undulate.            Texture, upper and lower surfaces: Smooth, glabrous;            velvety. Color: Developing and fully expanded petals, upper            surface: Close to 155C; center splotch, close to 5A; stripes            at base, close to N189A. Developing and fully expanded            petals, lower surface: Close to 5D. Spur length: About            8.8 mm. Spur diameter: About 1.8 mm. Spur color: Close to            98C.        -   Sepals.—Quantity per flower: Typically five in a single            whorl. Length: About 1.6 cm. Width: About 5 mm. Shape:            Lanceolate. Apex: Acute. Base: Truncate. Margin: Entire.            Texture, upper and lower surfaces: Smooth, glabrous. Color,            upper and lower surfaces: Close to 137B.        -   Peduncles.—Length: About 6.3 cm. Diameter: About 1.3 mm.            Texture: Smooth, glabrous. Color: Close to 144A.        -   Reproductive organs.—Stamens: Quantity per flower: Typically            five. Anther shape: Ellipsoidal. Anther size: About 3 mm by            1 mm. Anther color: Close to 1D; towards the apex, close to            175A. Pollen amount: Scarce. Pollen color: Close to 10D.            Pistils: Quantity per flower: One. Pistil length: About            5 mm. Stigma shape: Ellipsoidal. Stigma color: Close to 1A.            Style color: Close to 1A. Ovary color: Close to 154D.        -   Seed/fruit.—Seed and fruit development have not been            observed.-   Disease/pest resistance: Plants of the new Viola have not been noted    to be resistant to pathogens and pests common to Viola.-   Garden performance: Plants of the new Viola have been observed to    have good garden performance and to tolerate rain, wind and    temperatures from about −7° C. to about 25° C.

1. A new and distinct Viola plant named ‘Sunviotama’ as illustrated anddescribed.